


Breakfast by Rote

by Miri Cleo (miri_cleo)



Category: Conviction, Law and Order SVU - Fandom
Genre: F/F, Post-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-11
Updated: 2010-05-11
Packaged: 2017-10-09 09:57:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/85948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/Miri%20Cleo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex and Liz begin having their usual breakfast meetings again once Alex returns to New York.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breakfast by Rote

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: SVU belongs to Dick Wolf and NBC Universal.

Liz was quiet while Alex poured her another cup of coffee. She had seen Alex self consciously slip the ring back on after washing their breakfast dishes; she had seen the announcement in the paper. They had not talked about it during the meal; in fact, they rarely talked while they ate. The silence was never forced, never awkward. It was habit—habit that almost two years of separation had not broken. If they did engage in conversation it was afterwards; that was never awkward either…even though it could have been. To Liz, it was simply an evolution, the next step in the succession of how their relationship had changed over the years—changed while somehow retaining a certain sameness.

This morning she was annoyed at the way Alex busied herself with the kitchen. It was not because she saw it as Alex's attempt at domesticity; Liz knew it was anything but that. Rather, it was because she knew as well as Alex did that someone would come later in the day. It was Alex's blatant attempt to avoid the subject that irritated Liz.

"Sit down."

"Let me just put the coffee grounds away," Alex responded with her back to Liz.

"Sit down, Alexandra."

Alex immediately returned to the table without a hint of the reluctance Liz knew that she felt. It was, Liz knew, her voice that made the young woman return without hesitating. Alex had taken to training easily, and Liz knew that she would always be able to rely on that.

"Tell me what you think this marriage will do for your career." She had never been one to begin with a prelude.

"Why do you think it's about that?" Alex asked, meeting Liz gaze with one equally as intense.

Liz shook her head as she held her coffee cup in both hands. "You've always been the political bisexual, Alex. You might be fooling your friends, your coworkers…you might even be fooling Robert, but you know better than to try it with me."

"Liz…"

"Is it worth it? Is whatever you stand to gain from this marriage worth the discontentment it will bring?"

Alex sat up a little straighter. "What makes you think I'll be discontent?"

"Please, Alexandra, you had your little dalliances with men before, but you know as well as I do that they never ended with you waking in their arms."

"As I recall, Liz, I never woke in yours either."

"That never stopped you from coming back. So, where does Robert think you go so early every morning…to the gym, for a run in the park? No, I'm sure he doesn't even ask. What will you tell him when he does?"

"What exactly is it again that you tell Casey?" Alex glared. But she did not give Liz a chance to respond. "I love Robert," she said, her anger more apparent than any other feeling, "and this is what I want."

"Yet you're still here every morning."

There was a moment of silence before Alex sighed. "I heard they donated all of my books to charitable organizations. I wish…"

Liz did not wait for Alex to finish before getting up. She left Alex waiting while she went directly to the bookshelves in her bedroom. When she returned the younger blonde was pushing stray sugar granules around the table with her fingernails. Liz sat down, feeling the cool of the worn leather volume against her palm for what she knew would be the last time. After a moment, she slid it across the table. Alex's eyes were wide, and Liz could see that she touched the delicately worn spine with a tenderness that was almost painful. She only watched for a moment before quietly slipping away.


End file.
